Comfort, luxury, speed, space and an imperious driving position: those five criteria wrapped up in one battlecruiser-sized package used to be the sole dominion of the Range Rover. Now though, we reckon that Volvo might now have it beaten, with a plug-in hybrid no less.

You see, while the XC90 T8 is indeed a hybrid, it’s a hybrid with a difference. Most manufacturers will call theirs things like EcoJaunt or ElectroRide, Volvo calls this the TwinEngine. Why? Well the fact that it’s one of the world’s most powerful seven-seaters is part of it anyway.

It’s not all about the power either, you see Volvo claims that this car can return up to 134.5mpg, a figure quite literally unthinkable in any other car of this size. Add to the fact that it’s stylish, beautifully crafted and hugely spacious, this just might be the next must-have car.

Performance

Anyway, about that whole TwinEngine thing. Power for the T8 comes from a twincharged 2.0-litre petrol engine – that means it’s got a turbocharger and a supercharger – which powers the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Meanwhile, the rear wheels are driven by a 34Kw electric motor which acts as a starter, a generator and which also provides electrical assistance to the engine as needed. Combined, the T8’s good for 400bhp, enough to haul a car of its gargantuan size to 62mph from a standstill in just 5.6 seconds.

It’s ruddy fast I’ll tell you that, but it’s got a smoothness to its acceleration that you mightn’t necessarily expect. The electric motor plugs the torque gaps when the engine’s shifting gears and so it glides up to speed in an effortless, ethereal way which, to be honest, is more becoming of the car.

You’ll find no GT-R style banging up the cogs or dragster-style neck snapping, just silky smooth acceleration. Do watch the speedo though, as things get very rapid in a short space of time.

Brute force aside, you can also select different driving modes via a rotary button to either drive in pure electric mode, ‘Hybrid’ mode which lets the engine kick in above 31mph, or ‘Power’ mode which combines both motors for maximum power off the line.

Electric mode is handy around the city, but be warned that the car’s claimed 25-mile electric range is unfeasible unless you’re travelling constantly downhill. You’ll get closer to 11 miles in the real world and it’ll dwindle fairly quickly too, so ‘Hybrid’ is probably the best all-round choice.

No worries though, as you can regenerate lost power by using the petrol engine as a generator or by using recouped energy when you’re on the brakes, while you can also select the option to save battery power for later.

In terms of recharging the battery, the T8 will go from flat to full in as little as two and a half hours when using a high-voltage charging point. You can also use a regular charging point or a standard socket at home, though it’ll take a bit longer to replenish the battery that way.

Ride and Handling

There’s more grip in the corners than you might think, certainly more than you’ll need.

Yes, it’s fast, but like other XC90s the T8 isn’t really set up for a sporting drive; it’s more softly sprung, more refined and comfortable. That’s no bad thing though, because it’s not really meant to be a performance vehicle anyway. That isn’t to say that it’s not capable, either. There’s more grip in the corners than you might think, certainly more than you’ll need, and there’s even a selectable four-wheel drive mode for a bit of low-speed mud-plugging if you’re that way inclined. The XC90 is a big car and it feels like a big car too at nearly 17 feet long and about an inch taller than your average adult male. Placing it on tight country roads or in small parking spaces can be difficult as a result, but despite its size it never feels overly unwieldy on the go and is smooth and quiet, even when the engine’s being used. Light, supple steering helps the T8 feel more spry than you might think as well, though you can weight it up to make things a bit more positive if you want. Honestly though, we can’t see many XC90 buyers being overly concerned with sporting credentials. Much more important is the sort of relaxed, serene ride you’d expect from a big plush SUV you like this. If you want even more comfort, there’s also the option of air suspension which we’d recommend.

Interior and Equipment

Despite traditionally being known for making boxy estates, the Volvo XC90 has a drag coefficient of just 0.30, making it more aerodynamic than the Mercedes SLS AMG GT supercar.

Aside from some subtle badging and an extra filler flap, the T8 looks almost identical to the regular XC90 both inside and out, with the same striking cabin. Volvo might be Swedish, but you can leave any notions of IKEA at the door. Fit and finish are outstanding, it’s arresting in its own understated way and with plenty of space and glass it projects an overall sense of openness and calm – all very Scandinavian, of course. The crystal gearlever might be a bit Footballers’ Wives for some, but particularly when decked out all in leather with the contrasting chrome touches this is one of the nicest interiors you’ll find anywhere, at least outside of a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley. That tranquil cabin also masks the fact that the new XC90 is something of a technical marvel. Compared to the last version the dash has been almost entirely decluttered, with most functions now accessed via a large tablet-style touchscreen which is sharp to look at and easy to use. Three trims are available – Momentum, R-Design and Inscription – with standard equipment including sat-nav, LED headlights and DAB digital radio. Our test car also came with adaptive cruise control, Volvo’s semi-autonomous Pilot Assist function plus an eight-inch digital instrument display. Even though it’s a plug-in hybrid, the T8 retains all the same spaciousness as the regular XC90 due to the fact that Volvo simply made the fuel tank a bit smaller to accommodate the battery packs rather than eat into passenger space. Being a Volvo, it’s also incredibly safe. Much of the car is constructed of boron steel- the strongest used in the car industry – and it scores a full five out of five in Euro NCAP crash safety tests thanks to clever kit like autonomous emergency braking and special energy-absorbing seats. Even with all seven seats in place, the car still has a 451-litre boot, which is better than most rivals. Fold down the third row and that increases to 1,102 litres, while stowing all the seats flat expands cargo capacity to a mammoth 1,951 litres.

Cost

Be warned that as soon as the petrol engine kicks in, economy will drastically plummet.

To buy, the T8 is priced from £55,455 when taking the government’s £5,000 plug-in car grant into consideration. As a result, it’s around £10,000 more expensive outright than a regular XC90. Is it worth the extra money? Well, running costs are of course the major selling point of the T8 in particular, and like we stated earlier the car is rated to return up to 134.5mpg with a tiny 49g/km. Impressive indeed, and also a welcome proposition to business drivers, but be warned that as soon as the petrol engine kicks in, economy will drastically plummet into the mid-20s.

Our Verdict

Therein lies the problem with the T8; unless you’re a hardcore hybrid fan I’m not convinced it’s the one to go for. After all, you’ll get all the same luxury and space with a diesel-engined model and with running costs that are probably on-par in the real world. Still, there’s a lot to be said for the T8 and with the tax breaks you’d enjoy, plus that absolutely beastly acceleration, it is a hugely impressive and hugely attractive car. Should the Range Rover be worried? I’d say so.